Present invention relates to a unique arrangement for cleaning the compressible portion of a fluid transfer member and more particularly to a unique and novel structural arrangement and modification thereof for cleaning compressible paint roller applicators.
Numerous structural arrangements have been proposed in the past for cleaning paint rollers. These past arrangements can be classified as falling under one of three general categories, namely: (a) a liquid tank for receiving a paint roller to be cleaned including spray apparatus to be directed against a paint roller to be cleaned; (b) an annular spray ring with the spray directed against a paint roller periphery with relative motion being provided between annular spray and roller along the longitudinal axis of the paint roller; and (c) an annular scraping ring capable of exerting pressure against the periphery of a paint roller during relative motion between paint roller and scraper along the longitudinal axis of the paint roller. Numerous features of category (a) including tank and paint roller spray, for example, can be found in a number of U.S. Pat. No., such as No. 3,688,785, issued to Jackson B. Stevens et al on Sep. 5, 1972; No. 4,334,416, issued to Peter S. Turano on Jun. 15, 1982; No. 4,533,044, issued to Thomas E. Ban on Aug. 6, 1985; and, No. 4,738,358, issued to Charles W. Kehl on Apr. 19, 1988. Features of category (b), including an annular spray moveable relative the longitudinal axis of a paint roller, can be found in a number of U.S. patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,749, issued to Robert J. Gornik on Feb. 26, 1991; and, No. 5,402,808, issued to Scott D. Wallis on Apr. 4, 1995. Features of category (c), including an annular scraper device moveable relative the longitudinal axis of a paint roller, can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,740, issued to Romeo J. N. Demers on Jan. 2, 1973.
For the most part, paint roller cleaner arrangements like those above described have been comparatively complex in construction, operation and maintenance, often with undesirable spray control and messy staining involved.
The present invention provides a unique, straight-forward and economical paint roller cleaner construction which not only is economical and efficient in construction, operation and maintenance, requiring a minimum of parts and a minimum of energy in operation and maintenance, but which also is environmentally compatible, minimizing undesirable spray and concomitant messy staining from prior art spraying. In a single unit, the present invention provides for efficient cleaning and storage, the single Unit being readily adaptable to the cleaning of other shaped fluid transfer devices besides paint rollers. For example, it would be possible, by a mere change of media compression means configuration, to utilize the same single unit for cleaning fluid transfer mechanisms such as floor mops and paint brushes.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.